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Seven postpones Australia’s Got Talent

With no audience possible for now, Seven makes the tough call on talent show.

Seven has been forced to pull Australia’s Got Talent from its schedule due to the strict lockdown conditions in Sydney.

Filming of the Fremantle production was due to get underway this week at The Star in Sydney. Because its location was in the first 4 local government area lockdowns in Sydney producers then looked to relocate to Rooty Hill, but it too was forced to close for the two week period.

A Seven spokesperson said, “Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in Sydney, we have decided to postpone production of the new season of AGT to a date to be determined. A studio audience is a vitally important part of this much-loved show, so we have made the responsible but tough call to not go ahead for now. A big thank you to our judges – Neil Patrick Harris, Kate Ritchie, Alesha Dixon and Shane Jacobson – and our host Ricki-Lee, and we hope to see you again soon.

“The postponement is disappointing, but there is a lot of great content to come on Seven across the rest of 2021, including Farmer Wants A Wife – which starts this Sunday – The Voice, SAS Australia, Big Brother VIP, more of our high-rating 7NEWS Spotlight specials, a special on William Tyrrell, the AFL Finals Series, Bathurst 1000 and, of course, the Tokyo Olympics and the Ashes Test series.”

The news is particularly difficult for Neil Patrick Harris and Alesha Dixon, both of whom travelled to Australia and underwent a 2 week lockdown -now facing another if they stay for the next two weeks.

Australia’s Got Talent was due to screen after the Olympics, but Seven is likely to fill the void with more Spotlight specials and extended runs of other shows. Whether a completed SAS Australia now comes forward is also unclear.

The Voice is expected to be the first big show following the Olympics.

19 Responses

  1. I hope Dougie Howser still got to check out some sites on a nice walk before heading home? 2 weeks in quarantine… him and Alisha have taken one for the team there.

  2. If I were NPH and AD I’d get straight on a plane and go back home ,I wouldn’t come back as their is no guarantee this won’t happen again ,and it will and it will be years before any sign of normalcy returns especially for international travel.

  3. I’m confused that they can’t relocate interstate. I get health and safety is paramount, i do but postponing it? I mean they refer to audiences right? Well America’s Got Talent did a season with a virtual audience, The Voice around the world has done the same. I don’t know why they couldn’t do that? I guess this is showbiz sometimes though. I wonder if/when it goes ahead NPH and Alesha will still be part of it. Its like this show is destined not to air though after last year as well.

    1. There are currently border rules which prohibit moving interstate. A virtual could have been considered if there were enough NSW participants perhaps, but most of the other shows you refer to are for shows that were underway. We’ve definitely seen other talent shows also delay plans.

  4. Imagine flying over from the U.S, doing a 14 day quarantine in a tiny hotel only to then be told “Actually, we aren’t doing this now after all”. Yikes. Poor NPH. I don’t see Seven being able to ever get him again!

  5. I don’t get it, they could relocate to Rooty Hill at the last minute, but not interstate? state border closures could be a problem, but use that celebrity exemption rule to its full potential.

    1. Nope, of course not interstate. you think just because the judges could travel interstate that the talent would be able to travel too? Doubt it.

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